Manufacture of gas.



J. BUEB.

MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

APPLICATION FILED IEB. e, 1904.

Patentedv Nov. 17, 1908.

n 4 [UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS BL 'EB, OF DESSAU, GERMANY.

xmrac'runn on Gas.

' Toallwlaimit1mg]concern:

Be it known that I, J ULitis Been, a subject of the German Emperor, andia' resident of Dessau, Germany; have invented certain new andiiseful Improvements in the Mann:

facture of Gas, ofwhich the following is a specification.

;illuininat,ing gas from coal and it consists lit. an -improved method 1 of distilling coal, .wherebygas entirely free from naphthalene and also liquid tar a're ationce obtained,

My invention relates to the art of making while the number of apparatuses and the labor required for the manufacture of such productsare reduced.

YIt is a well-known fact, that in the art of making. gas hitherto two great inconvenv 'iences are encountered. The first inconvens i'qice is. that the gas-obtained by the distillzi gtibn of coal according to the methods now in use containsa considerable quantity of naphthalene, which is'undesirable and obiectionable, as it requires to be removed from the gas by means of a lot of apparatuses, labor and expenses, before the gas is ready for use. The second inconvenience is, that with the as a tan is simultaneously produced. which conta ns a quite considerable percentage of carbon withdrawn from the gasification. This carbon is then not only withdrawn fro. .tlfe gasification. but also reduces the vall of the tar and occasions the; undesirable thickening f the tar in the recipient or condenser as is well known to the'experts; Moreover this tar creates great disturbances of the work. The improved method according to my invention entirely avoids these two inconveniences. so that not only the gas leaving the retorts is free from naphthalenebut also the tar carried along with the gas is substantially free from carbon proper and so to say technically ure. it

hein no more a semi-liquid niass di cult to handle and occasioiiing disturbances, but a liquid oil at once suitable for further. treatbevondja certain temperature, and further,

that the tar rich in carbon is only produced,

Specification of Lttera Patent. 7 Application filedFebrnaii .6. Serial No. 192,428.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

the: oils forming its chief part are immediately after-their formation separated from the coal from which the gas is taken off and' are allowed to carry oil and to take up the sinoke'or carbonaceous dust invariably pro-f duced in the gasification. This discovery has, enabled me to find the solution of theproblem. I first t'ook ip those old vertical i'etorts proposed at the time of the birth of the art of making gas. but never made use of. and then abolished the ancient trad tion,

that iii the retorts there should be free spaces left for collecting the gas coming from the coaLbefore it is discharged into the recipient or condensen In consequence of this the vertical retorts are arranged in a manner to be now described and illustrated in a mode of execution in the accompanying drawing.

i in which- 1 Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section" through a producingapparatus on the broken line (-D in Fig. 2. and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the sameon' the l'ine AB in Fig. 1.

' Similar letters of reference refer to simiparts in both views.

'0 denotes a gas generator of any known construction. 2 is an oven formed of brickwdrk or the like. in which a batteryof verti'cal retorts a a is arranged. and I: is a space left beneath for the introduction of trucks or wagons intended to receive and 'to carry oif the coke produced.

The oven 2' comprises a top plate I and a bottom m, which latter rests on a bottom plate n supported by suitable shoulders on the internal walls of the oven 1? and an'iron beam 0, The cavity of the oven i is dividedby several (here two) horizontalpartition plates 9 g into several (here'three) siiperposed zones. The partition plates q. q are each provided on-one side with an opening (notshown), -forthe fire gases passing through. c

The retorts a aare preferably given 'an oval or a similar cross section and made to taper uniformly ,UPTWaIdQ": Their hei ht should be at least five-times'their'bre th at the bottom. They are so disposed in the. oven 5, that the hot; fire gases produced in the generator 0 and entering the :oven-i by torts a' a in several superposed zoncgin the lowermost of which the temperathre is the highest. The retorts a a are'open', at the top and'at the bottom and puttightly, into the means oftheflue's' p 1 pass aroundthe re oven. he space of gasification formed in; each retort a isprovided at the; top w th n.

coal hopper (not shown) for a"dev1ce f for the introduction of the coal, a gas discharge g and a turnable cover h and at the bottom with a horizontal shutter (l or similar device- In the oven compartments a convenient number of vertical partitionwalls r r are disposed between the internal walls of the oven and some of the adjacent retorts a a,

-.also"-betwee'nl certain retorts a a, so as to cause the fire gases topass'around every one of the retorts'in a serpentine-like manner, as is indicated ,bythe arrows in Fig. 2. The retorts it a are at all times kept full'of coal as 'far'asthe' fire ases pass around them.

This apparatus is t en operated in the manner, that the'retorts a a are first heated up gas is-very quickly generated from the parts of the coal in contact with the internal surfaces of the retorts, so that these parts are at once turned into compact coke, which is positively impermeable to the gas generated and forces the same to go from all points ofthe eriphery inward y and to pass upward trough the uncoked and easilypermeable coal. through the inner uncoked and cooler parts ofthe coal the temperature of the gas is prevented from risin beyond that limit, at which the heavy hydrocarbons of the gas would be decomposed into naphthalene. Moreover the annular crust of coke formed of the coal com letely protects the gas from the contact with the intensely'hot walls of the retorts. The as'ification continues and the thickness of the annular crust of compact "coke, adually increases-inwardly, so

that the'diameter of the uncoked vertical core of the coal continually decreases until the'remaining thin core is-wequally subjected to the gasification and turned-into coke. The tar jnot finding-any space for quickly separating itself from the coal is compelled to e ually-pass upward through the entire unco edcoreofcoal before leaving the retort, so that the smoke or carbonaceous dust mechanically carried off by the tar is re tained andafterwards, subjected with the remaining coal to the gasification. The oils forming the constituent part of the tar are incapable of gasification and escape with the v gas 1n the shape of vapors nearly free from carbon proper tothe reci ent .or condenser,

where they are collecte and present the "above-mentionad appearance of. the liquid "oil poor in carbon. g

inga formation as uniform as By the passage of the gas ,ture of illuminating gas. It is entirely new area of the retorts and with a view to insur- M ible to the "annular'cr'ust of coke, the firing of the retorts sliould be so conducted with the aid of conveniently arranged external flues as is for. instance illustrated in the drawing that the upper narrower part of the 'r'etort's'i's less heatedQtlmn-the lower broader part. The

consequence of this arran ement of the flues and of'this manner of: ring is, thatthe thickness of the annular crust ofcom'pact coke formedv on. the internalzsurface off each retort gradually diminishesvupward from the bottom tothe t0 1 1 L,.,"-::\;1- J

"When all the-coa in thelretort is turned into coke, the bottom cover cl is .opened,-lw hen the coke-contained in the retort .w-ill byfreason ofits weight fall down -int a-SuitabIe truck or wagon: 1 The bottom cover 03 is again closed and'the top cover, h, vis opened to introduce a fresh charge of coal, into theretort a, after which the coverh is closed. I 1.

- It is preferable to provide thebottomcover (Z with a conveniently shaped .filling piece '90 keep the lowermost layer of; coal onua level 5 with the top surface of'the b ottom m;and 3 therebv' to insure a. complete gasificationof e of fire-proof materi'alor the like,'so as to the coal. The results obtained by this method. are most' astonishing. The escaping; gas not show any trace of na' hthalene.-,Even after passing they as or; several 'days through a solution 0 picricacidjdid ,thersolution not show any turbidity. The best illuminating gas hitherto produced inany known manner, on the contrary, causes the solution of pi'cric acid to.v quickly. grow turbid b y reason of the formation of picrate of naphthalene. Further the tar gainedin the new method does not show either the characteristic black color or the semi-liquidity of the tar produced in the ordinarymanufacr.

in shape and is abrown 'liquid oil,. which never thickens in the recipient Var-condenser and is most easy'to work-for obtainin -itS valuable constituent parts. Thewilluimha't ing gas manufactured by thenew5mhodf is equal to the best illuminating.%as. pm. duced by other known processesan' .itaISO yields a not inconsiderably greater. outturn' than hitherto, for the obvious reasolns. that 1 the carbon particles, which in the old. meth'-;.

ads were taken up by the ,tar,,are reamed and subjected to the gasificationmcoiijuhction with the coal. By thenew'methodalso the number of apparatuses requ red forthe manufacture of gasfiandwtaris reduced and moreover-gna eat fngl-abor-is made. Thecok tained by H e l lewmethod from the same coal, is, compacter and hence of higher valuethan the suddnly heating the outer surface of a com-' product-d. It is evident, that the new method afi'ords important advantages in every respect.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawing can be varied in many respects, while the method described remains substantially the same. The word tar has been used in the foregoing specification to designate the by-product in the present process which corresponds to the by-product. tar. in ordinary gas producing processes. I In truth. however. the byproduct of the present process is not tar at all; but i an oil poor in carbon. the carbonaceous matter of the ordinary gas tar ha ving been removed as has been described.

I am well aware that vertical retorts for the manufacture of illuminating gas have been known long before the present invention. and I wish it to be understood that I do not claim broadly the use of such retorts but what I claim is a novel process which may be carried out by such retorts when operated in thc'wayjdescribed above.

'hat I claim as my invention. and desire to secure by Leters Patent. is

1. The herein described process of manufacturing illuminating gas, consisting in pact hodv of coal in contact with the walls a of an inclosing retort to a temperat are higher than that ordinarily used in producing coal gas and such as to convert the portions in contact with the walls into coke substantially impervious to-gasbet'ore the interior of the body of coal is distilled and as town'- vert into coke the fine particles of carbon which would'ordinarily be separated from coal and pass off with the tar vapors and as to-drive in the form of vapors the oils which ordinarilygo'to make tar towards the central comparatively cool portion of th bodv of coal. and drawing off from the central part ofthe body of coal and without contact with the heated walls of the retort the gas and the vapor-which con nses as a brown liquid oil.

2. The herein described procex of manufacturing illuminating gas, consisting in suddenly heating the outer surface of a compact body of coal. in contact with the walls'of an inclosin retort to a temperature higher than that or inarily used inproducing coal gas "and such as to -convert, the portions inc ntac t,wit-ht-he walls into, coke snbstantia ly impervious to gas before the interior ofjthe y of-coal is distilled and as to convert into coke the fine particlesof carbon which would ordinarily be separated from the coal and pass of! with the tar vapors and as to drive in the form of vapors the oils which ordinarily go to make tar towards the central comparatively cool portion of the body of coal, and drawing otf from the central ing the heatedretort with coal. the temper- I ature of tlnretort at the time of admitting the charge being higher than that ordinarily used in producing coal gas and such as to quickly convert that portion ofthe charge adjacent the retort walls throughout the heated section thereof into a coke substantially impervious to gas before the interior of the body of coal is distilled and such as to convert into coke the'fine particles of carbon which would m-dinarily be separated from the coal and pass'otf withthe tar vapors, and continuing the high heatuntil the entire charge is coked, whereby the gas and tar vapor dist-illed'from the coal is caused to pam through an interior zone of the charge having ii temperaturelower than that of the walls of the retort, and whereby the tar leavesthe retort as a vapor which condenses as a brown liquid oil, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The hereiudescribed method of manu-- facturing illuminating gas, consisting in heating a vertical retort 'to a temperature higher than that ordinarily used in producing coal gas. filling the.heated section of the retort with coal. the temperature of the re- .tort'at the time of admitting the charge being such as to quickly convert that portion of the charge. adjacent the retort walls throughoutthe heated section thereof into a coke substantially impervious to gas before the interior of the body of coal is distilled and such as to convert into coke the fine particles of carbon which would ordinarily be separated from the coal'and pass oil with the tar vapors, and maintaining said section of the retort full while continuing the high heat, whereby,the gas and tar vapor distilled from the coalis caused to pass through an interior zone of the charge having a temperature lower than the walls of the retort and is prevented from coming into contact with said walls, and whereby the tar leaves the retort at the top as a vapor which condenses as a brown liquid oil, substantially as and for the purpose described.

' The herein described improvement .in

the method 'of manufacturing illuminating gas, consisting in heating a retort to a temperature sufficiently high to vaporize the tar. distilled from the coal, charging the retortwith coal, the temperature of the retort at the time of admitting the charge being higher than that ordinarily used in producing-coal gas and such as to quickly convert that 'por- I tion of the charge adjacent the retort "walls before the interior of the b into a-g'coke substantially im ervious to gas tilled and such as to convert into coke the fine particles of carbon which would ordinarily be'separatedfrom the coal and pass. ofi-withthe tar vapors, and continuing the high heat until vthe entire charge'is coked,

whereby the tar vapor distilled from the coal will be caused to pass upwardly through an I interiorguncoked zoneof thecharge and tar sists 1D, bringmg the exterior of a thick body containing a small percentage of carbon will be produced.

6'. The herein described process of producing gas free from naphthalene which conof coal into contact with -a surface heatedto a temperature higher than that ordinarily used in producing coal gas, thereby produc-' ing a layer of coke substantially impervious to is istilled, and drawing oil the gas and vapors reduced from a portion of the coal remove from the heated surface without permitting them to come in contact with the heated surface.

7. The herein described process of producg sists'in bringing the exterior of a thick body gas free from naphthalene, which conof coal into contact with a surface heatedto a temperature-higher than that ordinarily used in-producing coal gas, thereby producing a layer of coke substantially impervious to gas, and drawing 0H the gas and vapors produced through the cooler uncoked por-' retort with coal while in said heated condition,'thereby quickly converting the portion of the charge adjacent the wal s into a coke substantially impervious to gas before the iny of coal is disas before the interior of the'body of coal terior of the body of coal; isdistilled, cohti n uing the high heat until the entire charge is coked whereby the, gas. and vaporgpass to the comparatively cool central zoneof the coal,

and drawing oil the gas and vapor from said centlral zone without contact with the heated wals. f a

9. The herein described method of manufacturing illuminating gas, consisting in heatthat ordinarily used in producing coal gas,

ing a retort to a temperaturev higher than i completely filling the heated section of said retort with coal while in said heatedcondition, thereby quickly convertin the portion of 'the charge adjacent the wal s into a coke substantially impervious to gas before the interior of the body of coal is distilled, continuing the high heat untilthe entirecharge is coked, whereb the the comparative y coo central zone of :118

coal, so distributingthe heat as-to finish the gas and vapor pass to coking o crating .at all points along. the

height 0 the furnace at substantially the same time, and drawing off the gas and vapor from said central zone withoutcontact with the heated walls.

10. The herein described process of manufacturing illuminating gas, consisting in suddenly heating the outer surface of a vertical column of coal to such a temperature as to convert the said surface into a layer of coke substantially impervious to gas beforeethe interior of the body of. coal is distilled con,- tinuingI-the heat until the entire column is converted intocoke, applying the heat in such a Way that the coking operation will be first completed atthe bottom of the column and will gradually'extend to-the top, and.

drawing off the gas and vapors from the central partof the column at the top without contact with highly heated surfaces. t 7

- In testimony whereof I have signed my two subscribing witnesses. a V

' JU IUS BUEB. Witnesses: in

IIENRY, HASPER, WOLDEMAR HAUPT.

name to this specification in the presenceof 

